CALEDONIA CLASSIC 200 MILE RACE RULESThe fee to enter the race is $200. $100 is refundable up to and including Feb 15th, 2014. No refunds after that as we still need to pay our vet! Entry after Feb 15th is 300$. Race entry deadline is March 6 2014 @ 8pm. There is no limit on the number of race entries. Mushers must be minimum 18 years of age.Anyone censured by the Yukon Quest or any other race agency may not permitted to enter.1. MANDATORY MUSHERS MEETING The mushers meeting will be held at 8pm Thursday March 6, 2014 (location is at Jerry and Lisa Joinson’s farm) $50 fine for each musher appearing late will be enforced (payable at end of meeting) and donated to the banquet wine/beer/tea fund. Please bring your handlers and drivers as everyone is welcome, but ensure they are through the door by 8 please….2. STAGING AREA All teams are to be at Cottonwood Park Staging Area by Friday March 7 @ 8am. Race starts will be determined by draw order at the mushers meeting. If the Race Marshall determines a team is “unmanageable” they will not start until last. They will be timed from their original start time however. 3. RACE START Race start will be from the beach in Cottonwood Park at 10am. Teams will leave at 2 minute intervals. Teams must leave within one minute of their start time. If unable to leave, the team will start last. The team must leave within 30 minutes of their designated start time or be will be disqualified and forfeit the entry fee. (Race officials will be available to offer help if needed)4. DOGS Mushers are allowed a minimum of 6 dogs and a maximum of 12. A minimum of 6 must be in harness at the finish line. Mushers will be permitted to drop dogs at the 100 mile checkpoint. This is the only time when you may receive assistance from your handler. All dropped dogs must be assessed by the vet first and signed off by the Race Marshall or a Judge before being handed over to your handler and taken back to the dog trucks. No loose leaders are allowed. No dogs may be added to a team after the start of the race. Dogs must be in a mushers control at all times. No switching of dogs between mushers is permitted. 5. TREATMENT OF DOGS/VET REQUIREMENTS Our dogs come first, competition and our human needs come second. There will be no cruel or inhumane treatment of dogs. As in all races now, no whips are permitted. No jinglers are permitted either. The race officials will disqualify mushers found to be in fault. All dogs are to undergo a thorough vet exam prior to the race. All pre-existing conditions such as hypothyroidism etc. must be declared. In keeping with other qualifying races, immunization certificates for rabies and receipts/invoices are required for the mandatory 4 way vaccines. 4 way shots are to be given within one year of race. As the new 3 year recommendation has not been effectively proven in highly athletic dogs yet, they are not permitted (Kathleen McGill DVM Yukon Quest Head Vet). KENNEL COUGH vaccines are highly recommended. Dogs with coughs MAY be disqualified from the race to protect other dogs (Vets discretion). At any time, the Veterinarian and Race Marshall can order the removal of a dog from the team. This is not negotiable. Dogs will be discreetly marked at race start to ensure identity. ***Mushers are responsible to read the rule #26 on the Yukon Quest site regarding drugs. Dogs are to be free of all prohibited drugs and foreign substances from the vet check until end of race. ALL ENTRANTS WILL BE RECEIVING A HELPFUL VET CARE HANDOUT DESIGNED BY KATHLEEN MCGILL DVM YQ RACE VET. WE WILL EMAIL THESE ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR INTENTION OF ENTRY.6. SLED AND MANDATORY EQUIPMENT Only one sled is permitted. Ensure you take a repair kit with you. If a replacement sled it obtained at the checkpoint, an 8 hour penalty will be assessed. Sled must be a mid-distance sled, no sprint sleds allowed. Every musher will have in their possession the entire race these items: · Race bib at both the start and finish (100$ fine donated to the banquet wine fund if you don’t!) · Sleeping bag suitable for winter!!! · Hand axe with overall length of at least 22 inches. · One pair of adequate snowshoes with bindings, with a minimum area of approximately 250 square inches · At least one snow hook · Head lamp preferably two · Functional dog food cooker · An adequate amount of fuel to bring 3 gallons of water to a boil. This is to ensure that if you get held up in the bush, you can feed your dogs · Vet records (notebook) if vet requires them · Dog first aid kit – minimum of gauze and tape. · Adequate amount of dog food must be in the sled when leaving the start line and checkpoint · One dog chain and a pound of food must be provided at the checkpoint for each dog if your handler is not present to take the dog from you · Sled bag sufficient to safely haul a dog in sled and be completely covered if need be · 8 booties for each dog either in the sled or in use and in the sled, are required when a driver signs out of the checkpoint. **** These items will be inspected at race start, checkpoint entry and race finish. A one hour penalty per missing item will be added to the musher’s total running time. If items are missing at the start, the musher can’t leave until they are in the sled.7. MISCELLANEOUS GOODIES *Use of cellular phones as two way communication is not permitted! The purpose of this race is to ensure a musher can be independent and handle solitude. *One driver per team, *no tampering with other teams * no traveling with teams tied together except if someone in danger * musher’s trucks are to go from race start to checkpoint and not permitted at the rare logging road crossings *Sportsmanship – This needs no explanation. We are not to let competition interfere with dog or human respect. *No littering. This includes intentional piles of booties etc. Lost ones can’t be helped. Penalties will be at the discretion of the Race Marshall up to the provincial fine rate…. Save our environment…… *Any musher setting up camp must clear the trail of their dogs and gear. Slower teams must yield to faster, overtaking teams and provide the overtaking team sufficient time to untangle if necessary before following. A musher being passed is responsible for controlling their “gators” and allowing a clean pass. The team being passed cannot pass the overtaking team for a minimum of 5 minutes.8. MANDATORY CHECKPOINT The checkpoint will be located at the remote farm of John and Ann Douglas north of Fort Fraser, BC. It is road accessible but is bordered by vast forests. A minimum of 8 hours layover is required there. Drop bags containing all the gear you will need are to be packed in woven poly bags weighing no more than 40 pounds. There is no limit within reason. They are to be presented before race start at the designated spot (TBA). They will be delivered to the checkpoint for you. There will be cold water available. You will need to fire up your cooker. There may or may not be a floor available in the barn. Be prepared to sleep with your dogs. No musher is to expect or demand any food, lodging etc. at the checkpoint. **Straw is to be sent in bales only, not in the drop bags. If you need straw, let us know we will see what we can do, no guarantees. **** Methanol for your cooker at the checkpoint will be supplied by you. It must be sent in its original container. Just leave with your drop bags with your name on it. You must sign in and out of the checkpoint.9. HANDLERS/DRIVERS Dog trucks will be parked away from the mushers. The dogs and musher will not see or have access to the vehicles. Handlers are welcome to come to the checkpoints. They are not permitted to physically touch the dogs. Please do not be giving a bunch of advice to your musher. They have other mushers as great resources there. It is a chance to learn! However, hugs and encouragement are definitely encouraged. Basically, handlers are receiving dogs, getting vet care orders and observing the fun! They are welcome to help out if the checkpoint volunteers need assistance. *** It is highly recommended that mushers ensure their handlers read the Handlers Handbook on the Yukon Quest Website. You will find it under the “for registered mushers” section. Mushers are responsible for their handlers to prevent possible financial or time penalties. 10. FINISH BANQUET The race is finished 6pm Sunday March 9, 2014. All teams finishing on or before 6pm will be deemed as having completed the race. Letters will be provided to those who complete the race as proof for the Yukon Quest qualifier. The finish banquet will be held 7pm Sunday night. Location TBA. . 11. TRAIL The trail will be in before the race, but not groomed during. If weather hits, be ready. Overflow is possible. We are going to try and put in good trail marking. Reassurance markers will be there after turns etc. We will present maps and discuss /demo trail markers at the mushers meeting.